Each person/team will get a few of the secret ingredient and will have the weekend to build something awesome. There is no limit on team size, but there is a limit to how many of the ingredient I'll have on hand.

Here are the rules, of which there are very few:

Your project must use the secret ingredient.

The project must be 'new', and not an old project with the secret ingredient added in.

Be excellent to one another.

And here are a few guidelines which will help this be an awesome event:

Try to work as much at the lab as possible. The collaborative environment and sheer level of activity is part of the challenge.

Form your teams early! Get together, discuss strategy, and get ready for the weekend. Use the planning thread or announcement thread to get organized.

Guests are welcome so long as they are working with a FamiLAB member lead team.

Logistics & SchedulingThis time we're going to do a little scheduling just to make sure everything wraps up on time, and we can actually vote on a winner. Nothing too stringent, and certainly not set in stone, but enough to move things forward and keep everyone informed.

Friday - March 8th

8:00PM - 9:00PM EST

The secret ingredient will be unveiled and distributed. Details to be published through Twitter, G+, Facebook and IRC for those unable to make it. Ingredients will be reserved for anyone who reserved an RSVP ticket.

9:00PM - 11:59PM EST

Open build time and project planning. Get this done ASAP so you can get to building. Some teams over planned, some under planned, and some never finish planning. Be aware of your time constraints! I recommend putting at least one person on "figure it out" duty to get toolchains, schematics, and datasheets out of the way.

Saturday - March 9th

12:00AM - 2:30PM EST

Open build time.

10:00AM - 11:00AM

Skycraft Run

2:30PM - 5:00PM EST

Raspberry Pi class in the classroom. Please ensure the room is clean and clear, ready for Mac Rutan to teach. Probably a good idea to keep the shop and lounge noise to a minimum during this time period.

5:00PM - 11:59PM EST

Open build time.

Sunday - March 10th

00:00AM - 10:00PM EST

Open build time.

There may be an impromptu FamiLAN during this hackathon as well. Be advised.

Demo day and voting will on the following Tuesday to accommodate those with plans on Sunday. (Mainly me, because, well I have spousal duties to attend to.)

Tuesday March 12th, 2013

10:00PM - 11:00PM EST

Demo time and voting. Anyone can vote, and that means anyone. We'll do a simple tally mark poll on the whiteboard in the classroom. Most votes wins. What do you win? I have no idea, a pat on the back? A trophy? The leftover secret ingredients? Who knows.

For this round, the secret ingredient should be more accessible. It is not an AVR, or any other micro controller (PIC, Propeller, etc). It is something different that can be used to do a few different things. You will still need to be able to do basic electronics, but there's no programming this time around. You may need to make a trip to Skycraft to pick up some gear to use with it, but it all depends on how you intend to use it.